Designation label



Jan. 27, 1931. L, S. NEEB 1,790,069

DESIGNATION LABEL Filed Aug. 10. 1928 INVENTOR 8 7 v z. 5. NM

ATTORNEY Patented Jan; 27, 1931 l U E STATES AT NT-emu Lawnrinc'ns 's. NEEB, or nnoonrrnnn, NEW annsnm assrsnon T AMERICAN ennu I I PHONE nn 'rE EeRArHcoMrANY, A CORPORATION" or NEW YORK E GW Q LABEL;

Application fileil Aug'ust lo, 1928. Serial No. 29872 7.

' p This invention relates to designation labels whichmay be advantageously employed in a variety of'connections, and-which have special utility in marking. faces of telephone switchboards to indicate the character'of tele phone lines terminating thereat.

' It-has been customary, heretofore,to pro ,vide fon the faces oftelephone switchboards' a ser-i esof horizontally arranged rows of sig nal lamps or indicators and corresponding rowsjof designation strips placedabove or below said rows of lampsor indicators to i: show whatthey represent. vFor each of such rows of signal lamps and designation strips .15-1there'1salso a COIIESPOIlCllIlgSlDIlPlH which acks'are mounted. The acksare adapted uqt receiyelthe usual plugs associated with an operat'orscord equipment. The space on the faceof the switchboard in which the horizon- 1 talrows ofdesignation strips, signallamps limited in height to permit the operator to plainly see the designation strips and signal lamps and also reach the jacks to insert the plugs of the cord equipment. It is, therefore,- flimport-ant that the height'of each of these rowsbe restricted as-far as may be consistent with good practice.

invention to provide a designation strip which may be mounted over the space occupied by a row of signal lamps, the strip being so constructed to enable the glowing ofthe lamps to be perceived th erethrough, said strip also being provided with the usual legends for identifying the lamps. By this'construction, 1 economy of space is effected by reason of the fact that the designation strip androw of lamps occupy the same space upon the face of the switchboard.

I Another object consists in the provision of a designation strip which is simpleand comparatively inexpensive. These and further objects will be apparent from the following description, whencon- 'sidered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

- Referring tothe drawing, Fig? 1 is a perspective view of the-improved designation strip. 2 is aperspective v view or a row or strip of signal lamps withtheimproved,

designation strip applied thereto iii-accordance'wlth the provisions of this invention, and F1g.'3'1s a cross-sect1onal View, taken on,

" the line 3'3-of Fig; 2.

Referring to Figs. 2 and?) of the drawing,

the reference character 5 designates a lamp strip-or'sectio n of a well-known character and comprises the usual insulating portions 1n .whichthe contact springs are mounted. The insulated portions-conslstfof a front panel strip 7 which extends longitudinally on the face of the switchboard and circular openings 8 provided at suitable spaced intervals throughout-the strip. I A seriesjof partitions 9 extend laterally from the front strip-7, and pairs of'spring clips 10 are positioned between said partitions. The spring clips 10- are a mounted on a'rear strip '11 by means of short and jack strips are mountedis necessarily bolts which pass therethrough, and rigidly sethe usual lug extensions 12150 which electrical conductors are, attached.

' A signal lamp 13 is positioned in each space between the partitions 9, and held in place by tension exerted thereon by the forward Accofrdingly, it is one of the objects of this" "opposite relation to each other. The forward ends of the clips engage these plates, and

form therewith an electrical connection by means of which the filaments of the lamps are lighted by current furnished over electrical conductors connected to lugs 12 of the clips. The ends of the lamps 13 extend a sufficientfdistance into the openings 8 topermit the light emitted from the said lamps to be readily observed through said openings. 1

Theimproved designation strip 14:, which. is adapted to be. applied to the lamp strip, as-

will presently appear, preferablyconsists of two sheets which are bonded together. One of these sheets comprises a back mounting of bristol board 15, orthe like, provided with a backblaok face and a front white face. The other or frontsheet l6p-is preferablyco'mposed of celluloid having a dull or frosted surface. The back sheet 15 is perforated at suitably spaced intervals, as indicated by the reference character 17. These perforations correspond to the distance between the 'open-' ings 8provided inthe insulatingstrip 7. The perforations are preferably ofcomparatively I small diameter, and are so arranged on strlp from theflat surface of-the sheet and-provide that their axes will substantially coincide with the of'the openings 8.: The front sheet 16 has inscribed thereon suitable legends to designate the character of the signal lamps 13. WVhen the sheets 15 and 16 havebeen thus prepared, wood alcohol may be-ernployedjfor the purpose of slightly dissolving the front celluloid 'sheet1'6-into a sort of a jelly mass southat itymay-be quickly. fused with the back sheet 15.. Heat El-11d]PIGSSHIPQ HIZLY; be.

then applied to the two sheets to fuse them together. Afterrthis process has; been performed, a die is employed-for raising the surface of the celluloid sheet=16- at points 18 therein. The distance between these points corresponds tothe distance between theper-' forations in thebacksheet I15 sothat they .00- in'cidelwith each other. The die{ applies pressure at the points 18-to cause them to protrude embossed-portionsin the formof domes.

- headsof-greaterdiameter than. the holes through the plate 21 so that they are pre- 60. vented from being displacedinthe rear-..

These domes are translucentand the rest of the strip is opaque; Thev light emitted from the signal lamps 18, therefore, will'be diffused through the domes. The frosted character of such domes will eliminateany direct glare of light uponthej face of theoperator. The light thus emitted from the domes, however, will be readilyperceived from a distance directly. in frontof the domes and also on either side. I

The designation strip 14 may be mounted in-a retaining plate 19 which is made of relatively thin sheet metal. The retaining plate 19::has a flat wall which is provided with turned-oyer flanges 20. in which the upper and lower edgesof the strip l t-register The plate 19 may, be clamped or otherwise se-. cured'to-th'e rear plate 21. The plates 19 and 21 have,co inciding openings which; agree approximately in sizeyto theopenings 8 in the insulatingpanel 7-, and,;when' said plates are imposition, each of; the openings of these elements will be in alinement andprovide an unobstructed circular space through which the light fromthelamps 13is emitted so that, it-Vmay. in turn be observed through thedomes 18;w Thimbles 22 may be attached to the rear plate; 21 at cut-awayflsections provided in the rear plate. These'thimbleshave enlarged war'drdirectiom thereby and said-heads rest against theflat wall of the retaining plate'19; Thesethimbles are of-resilienticharacter and firmly. engage the openiilgsi inlthe Strip: 7

- of opaquev material having a spaced plurality ofsmallapertures cuttherein, alight diff-using surfacing material applied thereto,

, and translucenttembossed portions provided in the; surfacing material registering with said apertures.

3. A'designation strip comprising a, base i of. opaque materialhavinga spaced plurality Y of small apertures: cut therein, a light diffusing surfacing material applied thereto, and translucent embossed portionsin v the form of domes provided in. the surfacing material, said embossed portions registering with said apertures. Y I

f 4. A; designation strip comprisingtwo co-' hesively unitedsheets, one of said sheets be- 'ing. opaque andthe other sheet fbeing translucent, said opaque sheet having aspacedplurality of small apertures cut thereir'nand-embossed portions in the translucent sheetregis tering with said apertures. I

5. Incombination with a designation strip holder having a plurality-of apertures it-herein, a designation strip comprising an opaque mask, said mask beingcomposed of two co-"' hesively united sheets, one of saidsheetsha'vinglasspaced plurality. of apertures therein of a size smaller than theapertures in said holder, and translucent embossed[portions on v the other sheet registering withtheapertures:

in its companion sheet.

6. In combination-wlth a strip of lamp socket, mountings having openings therein adapted to receive switchboard lamps, a designation strip holder havingwa plurality of apertures registering with saidopenings, an opaque designation strip carried by said holder, andztranslucentembossed portionson said strip registering with said openings and apertures.

. 7. In combination with a; strip of lamp socket: mountings having apertures therein adapted to receive switchboard lamps,-a designationstrip holder having a plurality of apertures registering with the apertureslin the socketmounti'ngs, a designationstrip comprising a base of opaque material carried by said holder, said designation strip having small apertures cut therein registering: with the. apertures in said socket mountings and said designation strip holder, a

surfacing material applied to said base, and translucent embossed portions formed in the surfacing material and registering with the apertures in each of the associated elements.

8. In" combination with a strip of lamp socket mountings having apertures therein adapted to'receive switchboard lamps, a designation strip holder havinga plurality of apertures registeringwith the apertures in v the socket mountings, a designation strip car-.

ried by said holder comprising two cohesively united sheets, said strip being opaque for 7 its major portion, one of said sheets having a spaced plurality of small aperturescut therein, and the other sheet having embossed trans lucent portions in the form of domes, the ap* ertures and domes in said designation strip coinciding With each other and with the apertures in. said socket mountings and said. strip holder, whereby light from said switchboard lamps is difiused through said domes.

'In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 8th day of 1 August, 1928.

LAWRENCE s. NEEB. 

